Swimming pool covering sheet, system, and method of use

ABSTRACT

A pool cover, pool covering apparatus, system and method for covering a pool: A swimming pool cover consisting of two layers, suitably bonded together, with air trapped in gas tight compartments extending across the width of the cover. These features give the cover improved lateral stiffness, low wetted surface area, and a feedback mechanism for centering the cover as it is being rolled up. A pool covering apparatus that consists of: A movable reel assembly that can also be used a seat to store the cover wrapped around a shaft; A float, attached to the cover, to pull the cover onto the pool when the operator by means of a rope pulls it onto the pool; A cranking device to wind up the cover on the shaft in the reel assembly to remove the cover from the pool. The pool is broken down into a plurality of sections, one apparatus serving each section, to allow an easily operated system to cover a large pool and to allow the design features of the cover make it easier to deploy and remove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to swimming pool covers and coveringsystems, in particular, an apparatus system and method of use forcovering a pool. The invention relates to buoyant light weight swimmingpool covers and the apparatus for storing, deploying and retrieving saidcovers.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

A swimming pool loses most of its heat when water evaporates from itssurface. This is true for indoor as well as outdoor pools. Relating toindoor pools, energy is consumed in multiple ways. First, to maintainthe temperature of the water that would otherwise decrease because ofthe evaporation mentioned above, heat energy must be added to the pool.The water evaporating from the pool causes the air inside the structurehousing the pool to be humid and uncomfortable. To reduce the humidityinside the structure housing the pool, climate control systems areutilized—thus expending more energy.

Pool covers have been developed to address this. However, the currentstate of the art relating to pool covers is cumbersome to deploy, removeand store. Automated covers have been, developed, but there are not costcompetitive

Deploying pool covers is currently cumbersome, particularly on largepools, which require two people. This is a problem in many commercialpools as only one person is available open the pool. The presentinvention involves breaking the pool down into manageable sections sothat one person can deploy the cover.

Removing the pool cover is also cumbersome. The cover retains a greatdeal of water because of its large surface area created by the bubblepattern known in the art which comprises a grid of circular bubblesapproximately one centimeter in diameter. This makes it difficult toroll, because the retained water accumulates at the bottom of the rollcreating resistance to rolling it up on a roller. It also makes the rollup cover very heavy and difficult to handle. The cover also has atendency to creep to one side or the other as it is rolled up on theroller. The cover bunches up at one side of the roller and must bepulled back to the center. On large covers this can be quite timeconsuming and frustrating.

Once the cover is removed it presents a storage problem. Space is at apremium around pools. In the prior art, the reel assembly is large andhas no secondary use. In the present invention the reel assembly issmall and will fit in many places and provide seating around the poolthat is always needed. Accordingly it is an object of the invention toprovide a pool cover system and method for deploying and removing andstoring a pool covering system so that it will save energy, beconvenient to use and be cost completive in relation to the drawback tothe prior art.

The invention provides an inventive apparatus system and method of usefor breaking a pool down into manageable sections so that a singleperson can deploy the cover. It utilizes pool covering sheets that havegas pockets that extend laterally to reduce the amount of wetted area onthe pool cover and allow it to roll up without bunching. It furtherallows for an efficient and convenient way to deploy and retrieve thecovers from the pool. The teachings of the relevant art fail to resolveor the drawbacks or shortcomings that are addressed by the presentinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a system for covering the pool in sections, anda cover design that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.

The cover material of the invention differs from the prior art bycontaining a series of air pockets that extend the width of the coverinstead of a series of bubbles or diamonds laid out in grid. Thesepockets also provide the needed buoyancy and insulation of the prior artwhile overcoming their deficiencies and providing added benefits.Reducing the area of the cover in contact with the pool water willreduce the amount of water clinging to the underside of the cover. Thepockets also increase the lateral stability of the cover while it isfloating on the pool and while it is being rolled up. The air pocketsalso provide a built in feedback mechanism to center the cover. When thecover begins to creep to one side the cover puts more pressure on theside of the roll it is moving away from. This added pressure forces theair in the pocket to the other end of the roller expanding that end.This will increase the pull on that side of the cover and move it backto center. The regular pattern of ribs will also help the cover roll uptrue.

The device used for deploying, removing, and storing the pool covertakes advantage of the pool cover's novel features. A single device doesnot cover most pools. Most pools are divided into sections with severalunits required to cover the entire pool. In competition pools eachsystem would usually cover one lane, which is typically between 7 and 9feet wide. The typical length of a competition pool is 25 yards or 25meters (82 feet).

To deploy the cover, a reel assembly holding the rolled up cover ispositioned and secured at the edge of the pool. A line is attached tothe end of the rolled up pool cover and played out as the operator walksto the opposite end of the pool. The end of the pool cover has a floatassembly that prevents water from flowing over the cover as it isdeployed. The operator pulls in the line causing the cover to unwind anddeploy onto the pool.

To remove the cover from the pool, a crank or electric drill is insertedinto a receptacle at the side of the reel assembly which when turnedrotates a rod in the reel assembly reeling in the cover. The designfeatures built into the cover aid this process. To store the cover, itis rolled from the edge of the pool to a convenient place where it canbe used as a bench.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view partial cross section of the pool covering sheet.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the pool covering sheet.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a competition pool showing a part of the poolcovering system.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing a portion of the pool and a sheetrolling assembly.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sheet showing the deploying edge andthe floating member attached to the deploying edge.

FIG. 6 is an exploded partial view showing the mounting edge of thesheet, the rolling shaft and the attaching member.

FIG. 7 is a partial view showing the retractor means, the rolling shaft,and the mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown herein and is notintended to be limiting. Turning now to the drawings, referring FIGS.1-7 generally in particular to FIGS. 1-2, there is shown a pool coveringsheet 11 having a sheet length 12 and a sheet width 15 for covering asegment 107 of a pool 17. The pool 17 covering sheet 11 comprises anupper layer 19 and a lower water contacting layer 21 having a pluralityof pockets 23. The upper layer 19 and the lower layer 21 are bondedtogether to entrap gas 25 between the upper layer 19, and the pockets 23of the lower layer 21. The end of each pocket 23 is also sealed. Theplurality of pockets 23 having a pocket length 27 that is slightly lessthan the sheet width 15 is and arranged such that the pocket length 27is approximately parallel with to the sheet width 15. The pool coveringsheet 11 further comprises bonded sections 29 that have no gas entrapped25 between the upper layer 19, and the lower layer 21. The bondingsections 29 are between the pockets 23 and having an intermediatesection length 31 approximately equivalent to the pocket length 27. Thepool covering sheet 11 preferably has an upper layer thickness 33, whichis larger than lower layer thickness 35. This difference thickness is toaid in preventing the sheet from folding or being to foldable when it islaid on the pool.

An alternative embodiment of the pool cover sheet 11 has the upper layerthickness 33 the same as the lower water contacting sheet 35. In thisembodiment the sheeting may be formed from a continuous tube that whenlaid flat will form two layers the sheet width 15. In this embodimentthe need for the side welds 28 is eliminated.

As discussed herein, the plurality of pockets 23 may be arranged betweenthe intermediate sections 29 at specific intervals according to specificdimensions to maximize rolling efficiency on to the sheet rollingassemblies 51. In one embodiment, the plurality of pockets 23 has apocket width 36 between 0.5% and 1.5% of the pocket length 27. Thiscorrelates roughly to a width of 1″-1.5″ for a 7.5′ swimming lane.Accordingly, the pocket length 27 would be roughly seven and a half feetlong, or slightly smaller than the sheet width 15.

In another embodiment, the pool covering sheet 11 approximates the lanewidth 41 of a swimming lane 39, and the plurality of pockets 23 on thesheet 11 have a pocket width 36 of greater than 0.25% of the pocketlength 27. It is understood that the pocket width 36 of the pocket 23and the weld or bond width 30, may vary according to application basedon a number of factors including the density of the material used toform the upper layer 19 in the water contacting layer 21 such that thesheet 11 floats. Another consideration relates to the efficiency ofrolling the sheet 11 onto the sheet rolling assembly 53. The inventionincludes multiple configurations of the pockets sizes based onoptimizing the parameters discussed herein.

Turning to FIGS. 1-7 generally and more particularly to FIGS. 3-7, thereis shown a swimming pool cover system 37 for a competition size swimmingpool 17, or the like, having a plurality of lanes 39, with each lane 39having a lane width 41. It is understood that the system 37 can beapplied to other pool sizes. The swimming pool cover system 37comprising a plurality of sheets 11 and a plurality of sheet rollerassemblies 51. Each sheet 11 has a mounting edge 45, a deploying edge47, and two lane edges 49 connecting the mounting edge 45 to thedeploying edge 47. Each sheet 11 is dimensioned according so to have asheet length 12 defined by the distance from the mounting edge 45 to thedeploying edge 47, which will be longer than the pool length 13 to allowfor the space between the sheet roller assembly and the edge of thepool. Each sheet 11 has a sheet width 15 slightly less than the lanewidth 41.

The plurality of sheet rolling assemblies 51 are designed for deployingand retracting a corresponding sheet 11. Each sheet rolling assembly 53has a left support 55 and a right support 57 that is rotatable connectedto and supporting a rolling shaft 59 and a left end 61 and a right end63. The rolling shaft 59 rotates about an axis 65 that is approximatelyparallel to the lane width 41 of the pool 17. Each shaft 59 may becoupled with a retractor 67 for enabling an operator to roll one sheet11 onto the rolling shaft 59, and each sheet rolling assembly 53 ismovably located outside the pool 17. This is accomplished using lockablecasters, wheels or blocks or anything of the like.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7 there is shown an a attaching member 69 that isselectively connected to the mounting edge 45 of each sheet 11 andconnected to a corresponding rolling shaft 59 of a corresponding sheetrolling assembly 53. The attaching member 69 can be made in manydifferent ways. One preferred embodiment is to use a strip 87 which islaid over the mounting edge 45 of the sheet 11. The strip has aplurality of mounting points 89 or bores for receiving a plurality offasteners 91, which pass through said mounting points 89 into acorresponding shaft 59 the fasteners can be screw or nails or othertypes of hasps or other types of locking mechanisms which efficientlyfasten the strip 87 to the rolling shaft 59. It is clear that otherattaching means and members can be use to mount the mounting edge 45 ofthe sheet 11 to the rolling shaft 59. For example, the rolling shaft mayhave a slot in which to slide the mounting edge 45 of the sheet 11through the rolling shaft 59.

Referring, now to FIG. 5, the deploying edge 47 of each sheet 11preferably is attached to a semi ridged floatable member 75, which aidsin extending one sheet 11 from a corresponding rolling assembly 53 alonga corresponding lane 39 of the pool 17. The floatable member 75 alsoaids in preventing the deploying edge 47 from sinking. This, is achievedby attaching a mount 79 to the floatable member 75 and/or the deployingedge 47 of each sheet 11 and attaching the selectively securable cord 81to the mount 79 for pulling one sheet 11 from a sheet rolling assembly53 onto one segment 107 or lane 39 of the pool 17.

The floatable member 75 is optional but may be attached by wrapping thedeploying edge 47 of the sheet 11 around the floatable member 75 andfastening the deploying edge 47 to the floatable member 75 withfastening means such as a clip 95. Other fastening means may be usedthat are sufficient to attach the deploying edge 47 to the floatablemember.

The mount 79 attached to the floatable member 75 minimally comprises aloop of rope 97 attached to the floatable member 75. Other means may beused such as adding a handle to the deploying edge of the sheet 11 orsome other type of attaching means known in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the retractor 67 may comprise a hand crank 99coupled to the shaft 59, either directly or via an appropriate gearingsolution 101 for allowing a user to turn the crank 99 and roll the sheet11 on to a corresponding sheet rolling assembly 53 of the plurality ofsheet rolling assembles 51. In another embodiment the retractor 67includes a bit 103 coupled to the shaft 59, either directly or via anappropriate gearing solution 101 for connecting to a cordless drill 105.The bit 103 may be connectable to the cordless drill 105, and the bit isadapted to couple with the shaft 59, or via the gearing solution 101. Acordless drill 105 is preferred to connect to the bit 103 because otherdrills which are connected to ac power pose a threat of shock and aremore cumbersome given the cords.

Preferably the rolling assembly 51 has a top 106 suitable for seating.As discussed, seating area and space around the pool 17 is at a premium.

My invention further includes a method of reducing energy consumption inindoor pool facilities including reducing the amount of energy needed tomaintain a specific temperature in a pool 17 and reducing the amount ofenergy in maintaining indoor climate conditions in a pool facility. Themethod also applies to outdoor pools. The method includes the steps ofdividing, the pool into a plurality of segments 107 and determining thedimensions of the segments 107. Once the number segments 107 are knownand their dimensions are known a plurality of sheets 11 and sheetrolling assemblies 51 are provided. Each sheet 11 has a deploying edge47 and a mounting edge 45 connected by two segment edges 108. Each sheetis appropriately sized to cover a corresponding segment 107, and themounting edge 45 of each sheet 11 is attached to the shaft 59 of acorresponding sheet rolling assembly 51 of the plurality of sheetrolling assembles 51. The deploying edge 47 of each sheet 11 is attachedto a semi ridged floatable member 75, and each of the plurality ofsheets 11 are rolled on to the shaft 59 of the corresponding sheetrolling assembly 51.

A sheet rolling assembly 109 is then positioned near an edge 111 of thepool 17. A cord 81 is connected to the floatable member 75 and/or thedeploying edge 47 of the sheet 11 that is rolled on to the first sheetrolling assembly 109. The cord 81 is then cast in to the pool 17 while auser maintains control of a portion of the cord 81. The user then walksoutside of the pool 17 in a direction that is perpendicular to thesegment edge 108, positions himself opposite the sheet rollingassemblies 53, and then the user pulls the cord 81 to extend the sheet11 from the sheet rolling assembly 109 on to the first segment 113 ofthe pool 17.

One or more intermediate sheet rolling assembles 115, are thenpositioned near subsequent intermediate edges 117 in turn. A cord 81 isthen connected at a first cord end 82 to the floatable member 75 and/orthe deploying edge 47 of the sheet 11 and the deployment proceeds as inthe first segment. The step of dividing the pool 17 into a plurality ofsegments 107 may further include ascertaining or counting a number ofswimming lanes 39 of a pool 17. Then the lane width 41 of each swimminglane 39 is then either ascertained or measured. Then the measurement ofeach lane is then associated with a corresponding segment width 106.

The method preferably includes the step of retracting the sheet 11 fromthe first segment 113 of the pool 17, the one or more intermediatesegments 119, and/or the final segment 125 of the pool 17. The sheets 11are retracted onto the corresponding first sheet rolling assembly 115,one or more intermediate sheet rolling assemblies 115, or the finalsheet rolling assembly 121.

The retracting step may also include turning the roller shaft 59 of thefirst sheet rolling assembly 109, the one or more intermediate sheetrolling assemblies 115, and/or the final sheet rolling assembly 121 byconnecting a cordless drill 105 to a bit 103, which with is coupled withthe shaft 59 of the first sheet rolling assembly 109, the one moreintermediate sheet rolling assemblies 115, and/or the final sheetrolling assembly 121. A user then operates the cordless drill 105 thatis connected to the rolling shaft 59 to retract the sheet 11 from thepool 17. A hand crank 99 also may be used to turn the roller shaft 59 asdescribed herein.

Having described the invention, what is desired to be protected by aLetters Patent is presented in the appended claims.

1. A rollable pool covering sheet having a sheet length and a sheetwidth for covering a segment of a pool, the pool covering sheetcomprising: an upper layer, and a water contacting layer, the upperlayer and the water contacting layer bonded together to entrap gasbetween the upper layer and the water contacting layer forming aplurality of pockets, the plurality of pockets having a pocket lengthsubstantially equivalent to the sheet width and arranged such that thepocket length is approximately parallel to the sheet width.
 2. Therollable pool covering sheet of claim 1, the sheet length being a lengthsuitable to cover a length of the pool, and the sheet width being awidth suitable to cover a segment width of the pool.
 3. The poolcovering sheet of claim 1, further comprising intermediate sectionshaving little to no gas entrapped between the upper layer the watercontacting layer (other than any gas contained in the upper layer andwater contacting layer), the intermediate sections distributed betweenand connecting the plurality of pockets and having an intermediatesection length approximately equivalent to the pocket length, and anintermediate section width.
 4. The pool covering sheet of claim 1,having both layers substantially the same thickness either formed from acontinuous tube of sheeting with the upper layer and the watercontacting layer welded together.
 5. The pool covering sheet of claim 1,the upper layer having an upper layer thickness and the water contactinglayer having a water contacting layer thickness, the upper layerthickness being larger than the water contacting layer thickness foraiding in preventing the sheet from folding when laid on the pool. 6.The pool covering sheet of claim 1, the plurality of pockets having apocket width between 0.5% and 1% of the pocket length.
 7. The poolcovering sheet of claim 1, the sheet width approximating a swimming lanewidth, and the plurality of pockets having a pocket width greater than0.25% of the pocket length.
 8. A swimming pool cover system for acompetition size swimming pool having a plurality of lanes with eachlane having a lane width comprising: a plurality of sheets, each sheethaving a mounting edge, a deploying edge, two lateral edges connectingthe mounting edge to the deploying edge, a sheet length defined by adistance from the mounting edge to the deploying edge, and a sheet widthcorresponding to the mounting edge and the deploying edge, the sheetwidth approximating the lane width of one corresponding lane of thepool, a plurality of sheet rolling assemblies for deploying andretracting the plurality of sheets, each sheet rolling assembly havingleft support and a right support rotatably connected to and supporting arolling shaft at a left end and a right end, said rolling shaft rotatesabout an axis that is approximately parallel with the lane width of thepool, each shaft coupled with a retractor for enabling an operator toroll one sheet onto the rolling shaft, and each sheet rolling assemblymovably located outside of the pool, an attaching member selectivelyconnected to the mounting edge of each sheet and connected to acorresponding rolling shaft of a corresponding sheet rolling assembly, asemi rigid floatable member attached to and extending along thedeploying edge of each sheet for extending one sheet from acorresponding rolling assembly along corresponding lane of the pool, amount attached to each floatable member and/or the deploying edge ofeach sheet, and a selectively securable cord for connecting to acorresponding mount for pulling one sheet from a corresponding sheetrolling assembly onto one lane of the pool.
 9. The swimming pool coversystem of claim 8, the attaching member comprising a strip laid over themounting edge, the strip having a plurality of mounting points forreceiving a plurality of fasteners which pass through said mounts to acorresponding shaft.
 10. The system of claim 9, further including one ormore clips for attaching a floatable member to the deploying edge of asheet by holding the deploying edge to the floatable member while thedeploying edge is wrapped around the floatable member.
 11. The system ofclaim 10, the mount comprising a loop of rope attached to the floatablemember.
 12. The system of claim 11, the retractor comprising a handcrank coupled to the shaft, either directly or via an appropriategearing solution for allowing a user to turn the crank and roll thesheet onto a corresponding sheet rolling assembly of the plurality ofsheet rolling assemblies.
 13. The system of claim 11, the retractorcomprising a bit coupled to the shaft, either directly or via anappropriate gearing solution for connecting to a cordless drill.
 14. Thesystem of claim 13, further comprising a cordless drill for engaging thebit of the retractor and turning the shaft when the cordless drill isoperated.
 15. The system of claim 8, each movable rolling assemblyhaving a top suitable for seating.
 16. A method of covering a large poolcomprising the steps of: dividing the pool into a plurality of segments,providing a plurality of sheets and a plurality of sheet rollingassemblies, each sheet having a deploying edge and a mounting edgeconnected by two segment edges, and each sheet sized to cover each ofthe plurality of segments, the mounting edge of each sheet attached tothe shaft of a corresponding sheet rolling assembly of the plurality ofsheet rolling assemblies, the deploying edge of each sheet beingattached to a semi rigid floatable member, and each of the plurality ofsheets rolled onto the shaft of the corresponding sheet rollingassembly, positioning a first sheet rolling assembly of the plurality ofsheet rolling assemblies near a first edge of the pool, said first edgecorresponding with a first segment of the plurality of segments,connecting a cord at a first cord end to the floatable member and/or thedeploying edge of the sheet rolled onto the first sheet rollingassembly, casting the cord into the pool while maintaining control of aportion of the cord, walking outside of the pool in a direction that isperpendicular to the first segment edge, taking up a position near anedge of the pool opposite the first sheet rolling assembly, and pullingthe cord to extend the sheet from the first sheet rolling assembly ontothe first segment of the pool, positioning one or more intermediate, ora final, sheet rolling assembly(ies) of the plurality of the sheetrolling assemblies near one or more intermediate, or a final, edge(s) ofthe pool that corresponds with one or more intermediate, or a finalsegment(s) of the plurality of segments, connecting a cord at a firstcord end to the floatable member and/or the deploying edge of the sheetrolled onto the one or more intermediate, or a final sheet rollingassembly(ies), casting the cord into the pool while maintaining controlof a portion of the cord, walking outside of the pool in a directionthat is perpendicular to the one or more intermediate or final segmentedge(s), taking up a position near an edge of the pool opposite the oneor more intermediate, or a final sheet rolling assembly(ies), andpulling the cord to extend the sheet from the one or more intermediate,or the final sheet rolling assembly(ies) onto the one or moreintermediate, or the final segments(s) of the pool.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the dividing the pool into a plurality of segmentsstep further includes ascertaining or counting a number of swimminglanes of the pool, ascertaining or measuring a lane width of eachswimming lane of the number of swimming lanes, and associating the lanewidth of each lane with a corresponding segment width.
 18. The method ofclaim 17, further including the step of retracting the sheet from thefirst, the one or more intermediate, and/or final segments(s) of thepool onto the corresponding first, one or more intermediate, or thefinal sheet rolling assembly(ies).
 19. The method of claim 16, theretracting step further including turning the shaft of the first, theone or more intermediate, and /or the final sheet rolling assembly(ies)by connecting a cordless drill to a bit that is coupled with the shaftof the first, the one or more intermediate, and/or the final sheetrolling assembly(ies) and operating the cordless drill.
 20. The methodof claim 16, further including the step of removing the cord thefloatable member and/or the deploying edge of the sheet once the sheetpulled onto the pool.